Incredible location, service and safari experience
The email communication of where and when to be picked up at the airstrip was smooth and assuring. The pickup itself was memorable - upon arrival we were warmly greeted by two staff members who met us at the plane itself and showed us onto a safari vehicle and from that point on the safari experience began. We spotted hippos, monkeys, waterbucks, zebra, crested cranes - all within 15 minute transfer to the camp. The staff at the camp itself was friendly and welcoming. We received relevant information about our itinerary and were checked-up promptly and shown to our tent.
The tent was fantastic. A great size, very comfortable, had all the amenities we needed. The bed was comfortable, the storage space was plentiful for our 3 night stay, and the shower was very good (nice pressure and with hot water). The tent was located right by the River Mara, so you'd hear hippos making their way up and down, and we had a crocodile sunbathe across from us as well. We also had a small troupe of monkeys visit us on our terrace, which made for great photo opportunities from the comfort of our temporary home.
The food was varied each D. and for each meal. The buffet was plentiful and tasty with cuisine that really catered well to our taste (Indian, Kenyan, continental), and at breakfast you had the option of eggs to order. The pasta station were manned by very capable cooks as well, really enjoyed the spaghetti dish they cooked up for me.
The camp itself was beautiful. We were encouraged to wander around and we did just that. The grounds were very well designed and maintained, and during the evening very smartly lit - enough to be able to easily make your way around, but not too bright to impact the feel of the place. The Hippo Corner was a place we visited every D., what a unique spot to experience a large pod of hippos resting during the D..
Now, the highlight of our experience was of course the game drives. Two daily, one at 6.30am, the other at 3.30pm, and these were magical. Our guide - Tony - was extremely knowledgeable and knew his craft as a guide. It was insightful, educating, collaborative and he guided us through not just the usual animals you see in documentaries but provide perspectives and context on the whole ecosystem (or circle of life). We have done safari before so knew party what to expect, and we made sure that our expectations were low, these are wild animals after all - but wow, we saw so much in our six drives with Tony and made memories that will last a lifetime. We spotted the infamous big 5, but the highlights were those that were not - the cheetahs, a dung beetle in action, the eagles, the hippos grazing on grass in the early morning and late evenings, the pairs of jackals wandering around the flock of ostriches, the warthog piglets, the giraffe calf who was barely two days old, the banded mongoose, the hyena pups, the list goes on.
We are so thankful for this, in many ways it was life changing. This Fairmont experience sets the bar so high for future trips to come. We are already thinking of when to plan to head back.
We could not recommend this place more, it is a safari experience absolutely worth saving up for!